Starting from March 13, 2024, every Ghanaian child born in an accredited health facility will be given a Ghana Card Number at birth.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who announced this at the official launch of the Ghana Card Number at Birth system - a revolutionary step forward in integrating and enhancing our national identity system, held said all is set for children to be given the national identification card a few weeks after birth.
The Government of Ghana, through collaborative efforts with the Ghana Health Service, the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), the Ghana Statistical Service and the National Identification Authority (NIA), has integrated these systems.
This integration would ensure that every child born in Ghana is immediately provided with a unique identity, linking them to their mother's identity and securing their place within our national identity system" he explained, at the Ga North Municipal Hospital at Ofankor, Accra.
"Ghana Card number at Birth is not just an ID; it's a promise to our children of a future where their identity and rights are recognized from their very first breath. It's a testament to our commitment to building an effective, efficient, responsive, and accountable public sector that meets the needs of the Ghanaian citizenry" Dr Bawumia stressed.
According to the Vice President, an effective and efficient implementation of this system offers numerous benefits to mothers and children.
Firstly, it provides a systematic and efficient method of registering births, ensuring that every child becomes part of the system from birth. This addresses a longstanding issue in Ghana where many births remain unregistered due to factors such as remote locations and insufficient awareness about the importance of birth registration
The system, Dr Bawumia indicated, also facilitates access to healthcare, education, and social welfare programs, safeguarding the rights and entitlements of both mothers and children. Ghana, he noted, has made significant progress in improving healthcare access in recent years, and initiatives like the Ghana Card Number at Birth further contribute to ensuring that all citizens can avail themselves of essential services.
He continued: "Additionally, this solution leads to the digitization of birth registration and identification processes, enhancing the security and integrity of personal data while reducing the risk of identity fraud"
It would also help greatly in the fight against Child Trafficking, as rescued children can be reunited with their families, he added.
Vice President Bawumia underscored the challenges and risks posed by a lack of a unique identification system for citizens across all age groups, and indicated that Government is working assiduously to ensure everyone is enrolled onto the national identity system.
"The absence of a unique identification system for citizens posed significant risks. It made us vulnerable to fraud, inefficiency in public service delivery, challenges in implementing social programs, electoral discrepancies, and threats to national security.
"Recognizing these vulnerabilities, Ghana established the National Identification Authority (NIA) to register citizens above the age of 15. As of Monday, 11th March 2024, a total of 17,804,405 persons had been registered, with 17,075,232 delivered and a further 53,929 cards ready to be printed, according to the National Identification Authority.
"But the registration of the 17.7 million adults above the age of 15 has left a critical gap - the registration of our children on Ghana Card from birth. The lack of integration between birth records and national identity platforms opens up a variety of potential problems and risks, impacting national security, voter registration, social services delivery, and overall governance", he said.
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With the registration of person 15 years and above ongoing, and the beginning of registrations at birth launched, Vice President Bawumia disclosed that the NIA and the National Health Insurance Authority would also begin the registration of children between 6 and 15 years in schools across the country soon, to ensure that every Ghanaian is enrolled onto the national identity system
Reiterating the importance of the Ghana Card at Birth System, Dr Bawumia emphasized:
"This monumental integration effort is not just about issuing a card; it's about recognizing and affirming the rights and existence of our youngest citizens from the moment they enter this world."
